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EU To Protest To Israel Over Damaged EU-Funded Palestinian Sites
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| Gaza Airport runway destroyed, thanks to U.S.-made fighter jets |
BRUSSELS, Jan. 23 (News Agencies) - The European Union will protest to Israel over damage inflicted on European-funded installations in the Palestinian territories, a European Commission spokesman said Wednesday, January 23.
"It has been decided to lodge a protest. I cannot say when or in what form, but it will be done," said Gunnar Wiegand, spokesman for E.U. external relations commissioner, Chris Patten, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
A European Commission spokesman said Tuesday, January 22, that Israeli security forces have inflicted damage worth 20 million euros (18 million dollars) on E.U.-funded installations in the Palestinian territories.
"There's been considerable damage to buildings and other infrastructure," said Gunnar Wiegand, spokesman for E.U. External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten.
"The estimate of 20 million euros is a preliminary one, made by the E.U. member states and the European Commission with our representatives on the ground," Wiegand said.
Though Gaza airport has been hardest hit, Israeli forces have also struck Gaza's seaport and forensic institute, as well as the Voice of Palestine radio station and a statistics bureau in Ramallah, he said.
According to one European diplomat, a list of the damaged installations could be made public during an E.U. foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday.
The European Union is the main source of economic aid for the Palestinian Authority, which faces an aggressive campaign by Israeli occupation forces under the hard-line policies of far-right Israeli Premier, Ariel Sharon.
In a related development, the Spanish E.U. presidency denounced Tuesaday Israeli attacks on Palestinian installations, saying the actions had nothing to do with "security requirements", as is always maintained by Israel.
"We regret and reject this destruction of infrastructure ... as we have denounced the destruction of [Palestinian] homes," said Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Pique.
Spain currently holds the rotating E.U. presidency.
"From our point of view, these acts have nothing to do with the security needs which the Israeli authorities put forward," he added.
Pique said that during his trip to Israel a week ago, Sharon said the attacks were carried out "for security reasons".
"I have to say that we absolutely do not share this point of view," the Spanish minister said, recalling that the E.U. had "solemnly" condemned the destruction at the European summit at Laeken, Belgium in December.
"I believe this must be clearly reiterated," he added.
The European Commission said a week earlier that it was in the process of cataloguing damages caused by the Israeli army to buildings and infrastructure in the Palestinian territories that were financed by the E.U. or its individual member states.
The Brussels-based compilation, begun early this month, will be the basis for estimating the cost of damages to European financed projects, said a commission spokesman.
But he added that, although the list would be "presented" to Israeli authorities, there were no immediate plans to ask Israel for compensation.
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